Island



No. 62I,|69. Patented Mar. l4, I899.

A. STEVENS.

THILL COUPLING.

- (Application filed Dec. 9, 1898.)

(No Model.)

NITED STAT-ES ACHILLES STEVENS, OF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,169, dated March14, 1899.

Application filed December 9, 1898. Serial No. 698,760. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ACHILLES STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at N ewport, in the county of Newport and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Thill-Ooupling, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to thin-couplings; and the object thereof is to provide such a device which will permit of the shafts being readily attached and detached and when in normal position will be locked against accidental displacement.

A further object is to provide means to prevent rattling of the coupling.

To these ends the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the device. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, a part being broken away and showing the relative position of the parts to assemble the same.

Corresponding parts are designated by like characters of reference in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the usual axle-clip, having a pair of spaced bearing-ears 2, provided with alined openings 3, adapted to receive the thill-bolt 4. A segmental finger 5 extends from the rear end of each ear and overhangs the forward end thereof in the same plane, providing a segmental slot 6.

The thill-iron 7 is of usual form, having a thill-eye 8, which is provided with a transverse slot 9, extending the entire length of the eye. Across the upper side of the eye is provided a transverse bar or pin 10, extending at each side of the eye, its ends forming lugs 11.

To assemble the device, the two parts thereof are brought together, as indicated in Fig. 4, the thill-iron extending down toward the ground, which alines the slot 9 with the bolt 4. The thill-eye is then engaged with the bolt, and the thills are then drawn upward to lugs 11 passing into the respective slots 6 and under fingers 5. In this position the slot 9 of the thill-eye is underneath the bolt and the draft comes on the rear side of the eye. The fingers 5 overhanging the lugs 11 and in engagement therewith prevent the thill-eye from becoming detached and hold the same against rattling or jolting. The thills may be oscillated upon the thill-bolt as a center by the movement of the draft-animal; but the lengthof the fingers 5 is such as to always overhang the lugs 11 and prevent the thilliron from being jolted off from the bolt.

The eye 8 may be lined with leather or other suitable material to prevent rattling, and the lugs 11 may also be covered to prevent rattling against the ears and the fingers 5.

The present construction and arrangement provide an exceedingly simple, strong, and durable coupling, having no nuts to loosen in order to fit the thills and no springs to become broken or loose. The parts are three in number, which may be reduced to two by forming the bolt 4 integral with the ears. The bolt is made replaceable in case of wear or breakage thereof. Battling is prevented in a positive manner, as the fingers 5, engaging the lugs 11, hold the thill-iron against jumping up and down, and the slots 6 are long enough to permit of the lugs being moved back and forth without engaging-the shoulders 12 at the rear end of the slots.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In a thill-coupling, the combination of an axle-clip having spaced ears, fingers overhanging the ears, and a thill-iron having lugs extending at opposite sides thereof, the lugs being adapted to engage under the respective fingers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a thill-coupling, the combination of an axle-clip having a pair of spaced ears, segmental fingers extending above the ears in the same plane,overhanging the outer ends thereof, and forming segmental slots between the upper sides of the ears and the fingers, and a thill-iron having lugs extending at opposite sides thereof, said lugs being adapted to fit in the respective segmental slots and be retained therein by means of the segmental fingers, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as AOHILLES STEVENS.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY C. STEVENS, Jr., HENRY C. STEVENS. 

